Unscrewing the top, I can’t help but notice some of the stronger classic bourbon scents coming out of the bottle. Once I have it in a glass, I am quite surprised at how complex it seems. A pleasant musty corn smell rides on top of what seems like a faint spicy hint of rye. Charred oak and the faintest waft of honey come to the front after a little swirling.

Taking a sip, the alcohol seems overwhelming at first, but at 90 proof that is not too much of a surprise. The oak is perhaps the strongest flavor component, followed closely by the pleasant corn taste typical of bourbons and a faint hint of bananas. As in the smell, I do detect a hint of rye. The flavors stay on the palate for quite some time in a relatively pleasant fashion, with the corn and the rye saying their long and lingering good-byes. If I breathe through my mouth after taking a sip, though, the rye flavor seems to take on a rather unpleasant musty quality. I think I’ll be breathing through my nose with this one! After sipping for a while, I am beginning to think there is more rye than corn in the flavor profile.

This whiskey does take a few sips to get used to as it does have a somewhat harsh quality, but is definitely a bourbon that can be sipped. The only real complaint I have with it is the musty quality that comes when breathing after drinking, which I have never experienced before with any other bourbons. All in all this seems like a reasonable, though not good, value for the money.